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Synopsis
A well-made drama based on the life of the professional British criminal John McVicar, and based on his autobiography. Starring Roger Daltrey as the eponymous anti-hero, McVicar realistically depicts many of the often shocking and brutal aspects of prison life, and his eventual rehabilitation. Porridge this ain't.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I wonder what Guy Ritchie would give to be able to make a prison/gangster flic like this. I bought this on VHS more years ago than I care to remember and I still have the soundtrack album on vinyl somewhere. The excellent British cast including Adam Faith and Tony Haygarth as the despicable "screw" "Rabies" are all excellent. Terry the chef from Fawlty Towers is also in the mix as one of the Lags doing time with McVicar and co. For those unfamiliar with the story John McVicar was an armed robber sentenced to a lot of years and took it upon himself to challenge the brutish and largely oafish prison staff to a battle of wills before escaping. Aside from being exciting and making you want McVicar to get away there are many scenes that are really funny. Having watched this film many times it still bothers me that in the opening shots you clearly see a 1977 R reg Ford Cortina being driven in London. This model came out roughly seven years after the film was set. My only gripe. Perhaps I need to get out more.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Can't you hear that's what I say.
John McVicar is a tough uncompromising armed robber, after being sent to a maximum security prison for 23 years he dreams of escaping every day. As his reputation grows and friendships are formed, it would appear that his friend Wally Probyn may have figured a way out of this tough rigid prison.
In 1979 America had The Warriors and The Wanderers, at pretty much the same time us British had Quadrophenia and McVicar to hold dear to our hearts, both films produced out of The Who Films Ltd, both films eminently quotable to a certain age group that were of the teenage persuasion. I love McVicar, I really do, based on the true life story of McVicar, well from his own accounts written in his book, "McVicar by Himself", the film boasts a Who soundtrack and a script that positively sparkles with wit and anger speak. Yes the charges of the film making hardened criminals seem likable characters is a fair one, but not only does the film show the disgust {and rightly outright hatred} for sex offenders, it also showcases just what a hard job the prison officers have, this is something that many of the user comment writers here have failed to acknowledge.
Roger Daltrey takes on the role of McVicar and dons a career best, gruff, perfectly in shape and a wide boy arrogance that comes off as gold dust in this particular piece. Backing him up is wonderful turns from Brian Hall {comic gold}, Steven Berkoff {clearly enjoying himself}, Matthew Scurfield {frighteningly unnerving} and Peter Jonfield. Once the escape happens the film switches in tone as McVicar tries to make some sense of his life, it's an emotional switch that tones the film down but never the less takes us successfully to the highly accomplished finale. We are then left with a wonderful quote from John McVicar himself and we are told just what this tough as nails armed robber actually did with himself from that point on.
Perhaps it's because I was a teenager when the film came out, that I love it so much? Or maybe the script just appeals to me on a very primal level? Either way I'm always going to be a fan of it, and McVicar remains to me, along with Quadrophenia and Scum, British standards to revisit every single year.
I don't care how late it is I'm not going home 8/10 Comment Comment | Permalink
John McVicar is a tough uncompromising armed robber, after being sent to a maximum security prison for 23 years he dreams of escaping every day. As his reputation grows and friendships are formed, it would appear that his friend Wally Probyn may have figured a way out of this tough rigid prison.
In 1979 America had The Warriors and The Wanderers, at pretty much the same time us British had Quadrophenia and McVicar to hold dear to our hearts, both films produced out of The Who Films Ltd, both films eminently quotable to a certain age group that were of the teenage persuasion. I love McVicar, I really do, based on the true life story of McVicar, well from his own accounts written in his book, "McVicar by Himself", the film boasts a Who soundtrack and a script that positively sparkles with wit and anger speak. Yes the charges of the film making hardened criminals seem likable characters is a fair one, but not only does the film show the disgust {and rightly outright hatred} for sex offenders, it also showcases just what a hard job the prison officers have, this is something that many of the user comment writers here have failed to acknowledge.
Roger Daltrey takes on the role of McVicar and dons a career best, gruff, perfectly in shape and a wide boy arrogance that comes off as gold dust in this particular piece. Backing him up is wonderful turns from Brian Hall {comic gold}, Steven Berkoff {clearly enjoying himself}, Matthew Scurfield {frighteningly unnerving} and Peter Jonfield. Once the escape happens the film switches in tone as McVicar tries to make some sense of his life, it's an emotional switch that tones the film down but never the less takes us successfully to the highly accomplished finale. We are then left with a wonderful quote from John McVicar himself and we are told just what this tough as nails armed robber actually did with himself from that point on.
Perhaps it's because I was a teenager when the film came out, that I love it so much? Or maybe the script just appeals to me on a very primal level? Either way I'm always going to be a fan of it, and McVicar remains to me, along with Quadrophenia and Scum, British standards to revisit every single year.
I don't care how late it is I'm not going home 8/10 Comment Comment | Permalink
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Mcvicar was a grammar schooled lad who went astray and ended up doing some of the most vicious bank jobs in the time of the "supercrooks" the krays, richardsons, the great train robbers et-ol john mcvicar wrote the script for this exellent film himself and his book (by himself) also spawned the idea of the shawshank redemption for stephen king. this film is a great look at to how mcvicar was locked up in durham goal in the sixties, he wouldn't accept been locked away so planned his escape with the help of wally (adam faith) along with some quality acting (berkoff) and (faith) roger daltrey really captures the part of the no-nonsense john mcvicar right from the start with the now legendry line "alright who's got my trainers" then the "i aint going anywhere till i get me fackin trainers" truly gripping in all and even had caracters loosly based on ian brady (cody) "sex case sex case hang him hang him hang him" . after mcvicar made his escape he went back to his armed robbery as a means to an end but the law was onto him and in the ens one of his closest pals turned "grass" and gave him in where he went back to prison and wrote his book which is also exellent i would advise you to buy the book and the dvd as it is a facinating read
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mcvicar
What a great film this is & worth buying at the cheap price that it is at the moment. This film based on truth in places (well the escape) is a Who production ( the band) & Roger... Read more
Published 3 months ago by L. R. Everitt
The best
I have been wanting a copy of this movie for some time now, so I was so happy to get it on time and all packed very well. This is a real movie the way they should be made. Read more
Published 5 months ago by mrpity
Classic
This film doesn't have the greatest acting...it doesn't have the greatest script...but in its own way its a mini classic of its time. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lexicon
16:9 failure !
The aspect ratio is cut significantly up and down to change it's proportions from the original 4:3 to 16:9. A huge failure on this DVD release too . Read more
Published 15 months ago by Fredrik Rănning
POT OF ROSIE
What a film have owned the V.H.S. for at least 20 years ( know it word for word well almost ) I love the fact that it was one of the first British films to show you how the... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by Mr. R. Leyland
great watching
this is one great film to watch it has you hocked right from the begining a good film for all the family to sit down and watch..
Published on 14 Jan 2010
mcvicar
i thought this film was OK. not a patch on THE KRAYS.i thought this film was rather tame considering MC VICAR was supposed to be a notorious villian of the london criminal scene.
Published on 8 Jan 2010 by road nomad
Based on a true story excellent crime thriller
Fine performances by all involved. A nice wide screen copy. Not too sure if your supposed to have sympathy for a criminal, but the film does not seem to show any side the law... Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2009 by Andy B
mc vicar
Very pleased to find quite an old film in stock and delivery was very prompt am once again very impressed with amazon
Published on 19 July 2009 by Mr. Martin R. Stear
Mcvicar
Ordered this epic film and as usual amazon delivered it in double quick time. Top service from a top provider
Published on 13 Feb 2009 by Mr. N. Wheeldon
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